Could Have Been
by Clara Lou
Summary: What happens when you wait to late to reveal your love? W/Aragorn Quickie challenge
1. Could Have Been

Could Have Been  
  
By Clara Lou  
  
Rating - PG  
  
Disclaimer - Neither Buffy or Lotr belong to me. They belong to Josh Whedon and whoever owns LOTR.  
  
Summary - What happens when you wait to late to reveal your love W/Aragorn Quickie challenge  
  
Authors Notes - This is for the quickie challenge over at Witches Fan Fic. This idea has been jumping about in my head for a while so I decided to get it down on paper.  
  
Author's notes cont - I have no idea what happens at the end of LOTR so I made it up. Boromir is alive in my story cause I like him. To watch over you will be update as soon as I get either my video or DVD of the Fellowship back  
  
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Legolas leant against the wall and smiled as he watched Ewoyn and Faramir walked through the city streets. They were leaving in a few days to travel to the hills of Emyn Arnen to start their married life together.  
  
In one way he was happy for them but in another he was not. He had believe that Ewoyn would have been the one to pull Aragorn out of his despair, but he now realised that she wasn't the one for him. That title belongs to a little red headed sprite called Willow. She had literally drop on top of them as they were leaving Rivendell, after much talking or arguing between Gandalf and Aragorn she had joined the Fellowship.  
  
The friendship between Willow and the Fellowship had grown, but most noticeably had been the bond between the Ranger and the red head. It grown so much that Gandalf, Gimli and himself were waiting for the time when they admitted their feelings to each other.  
  
The blonde elf sighed and pushed himself up, hopefully things would work out between them. Boromir had promised to talk to him and make Aragorn realised his feelings.  
  
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Aragorn headed out of the castle and into the gardens, his head was to busy for his liking with thoughts of her. Boromir had tried to speak to him but he had ignored the other mans attempts. This was something he wanted to figure out on his own, with no interference from anyone.  
  
He knew they meant well, but he didn't know if he could ask her to stay. She had after much searching found a way to get home to her family, to her friends. He couldn't ask her to give that up for a kingdom in ruin, for a place so alien to her, for him.  
  
He raked a hand through his hair; ever since he had left Rivendell he had known his time with Arwen was coming to an end. It was as he told her; it had all been like some amazing dream, a dream that had to come to an end. Looking out over the garden he knew that she was happy with her family in the Undying lands.  
  
Turning away his smile faded, now someone else held that place in his heart but he did not know if he could tell her. He only had a few days left before the time would be right for her to the spell, she needed a waxing moon and that would happen 4 days from now.  
  
With measured footsteps he left the garden and walked back into the castle still deep in thought. Without thought his legs carried him to the great hall where his gaze settled on her. So bright and beautiful, charming his subjects and men making them fall in love with her just as he had. He felt the corners of his mouth turn up into a smile unconsciously. He knew that he had to figure this out before she left; he had to at least know if she felt the same.  
  
He turned and left the hall knowing that he had business to attend, his people needing him. He quickly walked away missing the longing glance that Willow threw after him. She pulled her gaze away from him and back to the hobbit in front of her. She felt the corners of her mouth turn up in a smile at Merry and Pippin's actions. She felt the glances of Gandalf and Legolas on her, she looked over and smiled at the wizard and elf letting them know she was ok. She only had a few more days here with them, with him before she would return to her home.  
  
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Willow looked out at the clearing and smiled as she smoothed the wrinkles out of her dress. That was one thing she could never get used to in this land, wearing a dress day in and day out. It wasn't that she didn't wear skirts or dress back in Sunnydale, it was just that there she could wear trousers. She frowned slightly as she realised that her mind had called it Sunnydale, when had she stopped thinking of it as home.  
  
Her eyes trailed over her friends and landed on the reason, ever since she had met him her heart cried out to her. Ducking her head so no one would see the hurt in her eyes she busied herself with the preparations for the spell scolding herself as she went. He didn't want her, his heart belong to another she told herself, a beautiful stunning elf named Arwen.  
  
Brushing her hands across her face to wipe away the tears that threatened to fall she stood up and smiled at her friends. She felt the tears threat to flow again and she willed them away, not wanting them to see her cry. She ran over and hugged Gandalf, he had been like a surrogate father to her. Helping her search for a way back to her world, trusting her and her magic when she was unsure of her own strengths and weaknesses.  
  
Turning she felt herself tackled from four different directions, looking down she laughed and bent down to embraced the four hobbits. Each one unique in their own way, each having the special ability to cheer her up.  
  
"Please don't go Willow." Pippin cried as he hugged her  
  
"Stay here!" Merry added to Pippins cries.  
  
Willow smoothed their hair of their faces and smiled "I must, it's my home." She told them simply her heart shouting to her that this was her home, her home was were he was.  
  
Standing up she walked over to Gimli, the gruff dwarf and her had taken time to bond but she knew she would miss him. She hugged him tightly and kissed his forehead.  
  
"We'll miss you lass." He mumbled to her  
  
Moving on she quickly hugged Ewoyn and Faramir wishing them well for their lives together.  
  
Coming to Boromir she found herself swept up into a tight hug, in him she had found the brother she had never had. Choking back tears she made him promise to take care of Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin. He pulled back and smiled as he brushed her tears away.  
  
"Don't you worry Little One they will be well looked after." He told her. Leaning down he kissed her forehead and embraced her once more "Tell him how you feel Little One." He whispered to her using the name he always used for her.  
  
Pulling back she smiled sadly at him and shook her head at his suggestion. Feeling a hand on hers she turned to face Legolas.  
  
She titled her head and stared thoughtfully at him, her friend from the beginning. The one who believed in her always, in some ways he reminded her of Xander with his unwavering trust in her and in other ways Giles with his wisdom. Leaning her head on his shoulder as he hugged her she soaked up everything about him that she could.  
  
Pulling back she moved onto the last person in the line, the hardest person for her to say goodbye to. Lifting her head up she found herself meeting his eyes and suddenly the whole world faded away to leave only the two of them. The rest of the party stepped back into the shadows to give them some privacy knowing that this would be the last chance to admit to each other how they felt.  
  
Aragorn let his eyes roam over her taking in very detail that he could so he could remember when she was gone. Stepping forward he pulled her into his arms savouring the feelings and emotions that it caused. He closed his eyes and he felt her relax into him, running his hands up and down her back he allowed himself the luxury of forgetting that she was going. Of believing that she wanted to stay in his arms, but all too soon she pulled back from him. Opening his eyes he looked down into hers, raising his hand he caressed the soft skin of her cheek committing it all to memory.  
  
He wished that he could make his mouth say what his heart felt. Maybe convince her to stay here with him, but all that came out was  
  
"Stay" he whispered to her huskily.  
  
Willow shook her head "I can't." she told him as the tears threatened to fall again.  
  
"Give me one reason why I should. What is here that is not back in Sunnydale." She asked him quietly. Her heart stopped beating as she waited for his answer, to see what he would say. Slowly his arms dropped and he stepped back from her solemnly, giving Willow all the answer she needed.  
  
Stepping into the circle she started the incantation that was needed for her to return. She closed her eyes as she felt the magic flow around her, felt the Goddess answering her prayers.  
  
Just then she heard a voice opening her eyes she felt her heart stop as she saw Aragorn standing outside the circle shouting to her. She strained her ears to hear him over the wind just before she disappeared she heard him shout.  
  
"I'm here. I need you to stay. I love you" Aragorn shouted over the wind. He quickly shielded his eyes as a bright flash filled the clearing, slowly opening his eyes after the light had faded he searched for Willow.  
  
His heart dropped as he realised he had been to late she had gone home. It was with a heavy heart that Aragorn, son of Arathorn, king of Gondor returned to his kingdom. 


	2. Epilogue

Could Have Been - Epilogue  
  
By Clara Lou  
  
Rating - PG  
  
Disclaimer - Neither Buffy or Lotr belong to me. They belong to Josh Whedon and whoever owns LOTR.  
  
Summary - What happens when you wait to late to reveal your love W/Aragorn Quickie challenge  
  
Author's notes - My muse cried out for Willow to come back to Aragorn. So here is the result  
  
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Epilogue  
  
Three long months had passed since Willow had returned home and everyone despaired of his or her King. Aragorn had ceased to exist from that day on; he walked, talked and ate as normal but his heart was not in it.  
  
The only reason he went on was for his people, he had promised that he would rebuild the country of Gondor and he held himself to it. Working alongside his own men he worked from morn till night, collapsing into bed where his sleep was plagued with dreams of her.  
  
The next morning he walked through the forest, Gandalf and Legolas had insisted that he not worked today; they were worried about him he knew. Legolas had delayed his travelling to be with his people, he wished he could put their minds at rest but he could not.  
  
He sat down in the clearing where it had happened, many nights he had come here, wondering why he had not told her sooner. He shook his head what ifs would not help him here. Standing up he took one look at the clearing before turning around.  
  
Just before he met the tree line he felt the wind suddenly whip up. Pulling his cloak around him tighter he looked about, he frowned as he watched the leaves gather in the middle of the clearing. Gathering in the wind they grew higher and higher as they swirled about forming a whirlpool in the middle of the clearing.  
  
Stepping back slightly he wondered who was causing this, and then just as suddenly as it started the wind died down and the leaves scattered to show a figure in the middle.  
  
A female figure that was running towards him, taking a step forward he pushed down the swelling in his heart. It couldn't be her, why would she come back.  
  
Before he could finish pondering that thought his arms were full of a red head. He pulled back slightly and stared at her, not sure if he was hallucinating.  
  
"Willow?" he asked hopefully, not daring to believe that it was she.  
  
She smiled at him and leant up to kiss him passionately. Aragorn wrapped his arms around her not caring if she was a hallucination of his mind. He moulded her body to his and for that one moment everything was perfect in his life.  
  
She slowly pulled back and smiled at him "It's me." She told him quietly.  
  
Swiftly a smile on intense joy came across his face, lifting her too him he swung her around in a circle. Willow shrieked as he spun her about. He stopped and hugged her to him.  
  
"I can't believe you back. I thought I had lost you." He told her as he ran his hand down her face gently  
  
"You never lost me, I love you. It just took a while for me to come back to you." She told him softly before he took her lips in a tender kiss.  
  
Aragorn rejoiced he finally had his queen. 


End file.
